Liverpool sources have reaffirmed their commitment to RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande as their number one target to replace Mohamed Salah, even as speculation swirls around Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola. The 19-year-old has become the club’s clear priority as the Premier League side prepares for a major rethink on the flanks this summer.
Diomande has delivered 13 goals and nine assists in 35 appearances in Germany this season, form that has pushed him to the front of Liverpool’s list despite a price tag that starts at €100 million, or £87 million. Negotiations with Leipzig are still at an early stage, but Liverpool are already looking at structured payments and add-ons to make a deal workable.
The numbers underline why Liverpool have settled on him as the player who will define their summer. Last summer, the club twice smashed its transfer record by signing Florian Wirtz for £116 million and Alexander Isak for £125 million, and the new spending is expected to continue with two wingers arriving, not just one. Salah is expected to leave on a free transfer, Federico Chiesa could return to Italy and Cody Gakpo may be allowed to go if suitable bids arrive.
Diomande is in his first season in Germany, which only sharpens the challenge for Liverpool. Leipzig’s valuation north of €100 million is a significant hurdle, but TEAMtalk sources close to the situation say the youngster remains the Merseysiders’ clear priority. That stance has not been shaken by recent reports linking Liverpool with Barcola, while Anthony Gordon and Jarrod Bowen have also been mentioned as possible names for Anfield this summer.
Liverpool and their hierarchy have already decided which player will define their summer, and the shape of the rebuild is becoming clear. If the club gets its way, Diomande will not be one piece of the overhaul but the one that sets the market for everything else that follows.
